Ministry plans consultation before school bus change

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The Ministry of Education has delayed making a decision on changes to the school bus service in Queenstown.

Proposed changes to school bus routes and subsidies had many parents concerned about the cost of the service if subsidies were dropped.

However, an email to parents from Wakatipu principals says the ministry yesterday confirmed it had not made a final decision and that any potential changes would involve ongoing consultation with the schools and community.

From the start of the 2015 school year, the school bus service across the Wakatipu area would remain fundamentally unchanged.

Consultation between the ministry and schools with regards to transitioning students to public transport would take place before a final decision was made, and the ministry would outline the draft timeline by the end of September, the email says.

"We are delighted with this turnaround which we believe gives our community adequate time for consultation and planning," it says.